1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to plastic injection molding and more particularly to a positioning jig and pick and place tooling for an injection molding device and process.
2. Background
In the field of plastic molding, it is well known that a plastic component may be molded to a non-plastic element. For instance, in one application, a plastic connector is molded to a fabric strap to provide a means for attaching the strap to yet another component or part, or for connecting two molded connecting buckle ends to one another, for instance, to be used as a belt.
According to the prior art, positioning a part with respect to a mold, may be achieved by positioning a portion of the part to which a plastic element is to be molded, in a detent or recessed portion of a first mold section or mold insert. According to the prior art, once a part that is to be attached to the molded component is positioned on the mold insert, the mold insert must be handled rather delicately, until the insert is mated with the a second mold section pinching or compressing the part between the mold insert and the second mold section. In practice, the mold section to upon which the part that is to be attached to the molded component is positioned typically remains in a horizontal position until the molding process is complete.
The described process or methodology provides distinct limitations particularly when considering the use of vertical injection molding devices and processes or various tooling for automated settings. Maintaining the location of the part with respect to the mold insert in production settings has proven challenging. Because of the orientation of the mold, parts are prone to shifting and displacement during the course of the process. Additionally, placing parts to which a component is to be molded is similarly challenging, particularly in a production setting.
Advantage may be found therefore in providing a plastic injection molding system that includes a device for positively locating a part to which a plastic element is to be molded with respect to the mold. Additional advantage may be found in providing a plastic injection molding system that includes a positioning jig for accurately locating and positioning a part to which a plastic element is to be molded, in a selected orientation for subsequent placement in a mold section. Additional advantage may be found in providing a pick and place tool adapted to pick the part to which a plastic element is to be molded from the positioning jig and accurately transport the part to a mold section, accurately placing the part with respect to the mold section in the selected orientation. Additional advantage may be found in providing a pick and place tool adapted to pick the part to which a plastic element is to be molded from the positioning jig and transport the part to the mold, accurately placing the part in a selected orientation for a subsequent molding process. Additional advantage may be found in providing a mold section having a face oriented in a substantially vertical plane that is adapted to receive a part to which a plastic element is to be molded, accurately maintaining a selected orientation for a subsequent molding process until the injection molding process has been completed.
An objective of the present invention therefore is to provide a plastic injection molding system that includes a device that positions a part to which a plastic element is to be molded in a selected position with respect to the mold. An additional objective of the present invention is providing a plastic injection molding system that includes a positioning jig for accurately positioning a part to which a plastic element is to be molded, for subsequent placement in a mold section. An additional objective of the present invention is providing a pick and place tool adapted to pick the part to which a plastic element is to be molded from the positioning jig and transport the part to the mold, accurately positioning the part in the mold maintaining the selected position of the part. An additional objective of the present invention is providing a mold section adapted to receive a part to which a plastic element is to be molded, accurately maintaining the selected position of the part until the injection molding process has been completed.
These and other objectives of the present invention are provided by the various embodiments of the invention disclosed herein and by other embodiments that will or may fall within the claimed scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.